Most people who fall in love with Tim Ferris’ groundbreaking book about living the mobile lifestyle struggle with the same aspect of the reality he proposes — building the income streams needed for his particular brand of location independence. Muses, or businesses built for freedom of location and time, can certainly transform your life if you have the required skills, vision, and drive to create them.
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But for the inexperienced, the needed paradigm shift presents an insurmountable hurdle. And thus, when initial efforts fail, many would-be globe-trotters just go back to being “realistic.”
I don’t want you to give up the dream.
Obtaining the freedom to roam the world is not impractical at all — not these days. Expecting to learn everything needed to create completely passive online income in a matter of months, however, does come across as incredibly naive.
So how about just embracing a more reasonable game plan? How about an idea that might not completely free your time (yet) but allows you to live in paradise now?
If you fantasize about the footloose lifestyle but have no idea how to make it happen, a service business can solve your dilemma. More specifically, a freelance writing business.
Let’s have a look at why:
Ease of Start-up
I know of no easier way to get on the Internet now and start making money than to provide a content writing service. You don’t need some fancy degree. You don’t need to spend months or even weeks learning and practicing a new skill.
You don’t, and I know I’ll regret saying this, even have to be the best writer in the world. We’re not talking about writing novels here; we’re talking about writing basic articles, product reviews, and blogs, at least to start.
If you got okay grades in English class, you’d be fine. If people tell you that you’re a good writer, ever, you’re going to cream the competition.
And You Can Start Today
Not only does a freelance writing business take zero experience, unlike other location-independent business models, but you can also start making money today and build a substantial income within a month or two.
You’ll need to work hard, sure, but it’s very doable.
When I first began writing online, for example, I made over $200 in the first three days… starting from complete scratch.
And because a writing business pulls in cash ASAP, you can step away from the traditional life-plan almost immediately, hitting the road with money on the way and a smile on your face. Enough saved for a plane ticket and enough income from your first jobs to cover expenses in a cheap paradise, and you’re good to go.
A muse, on the other hand, takes forever to get off the ground, especially if you don’t know your stuff.
Travel-Friendly Business
To go on, the nature of the freelance writing business lends itself easily to travel. A writer needs a bare minimum of equipment: a decent laptop and an Internet connection provide the foundation for your entire business.
In some cases, you may not need either. For instance, much of your writing work can be done offline, as long as the research isn’t heavy. You just need to find a connection every once in a while so you can send your articles to clients on schedule.
A bit inconvenient, yes, but with a little haggling and some determination, you could make it work.
And you might even forego the laptop when traveling in locations that feature charming, modern Internet cafes. It sure keeps your pack light, and you don’t have to stress on the thing getting stolen.
Best of all, most clients in this business just don’t care where you live as long as you get the work done. Mine envy me more than anything else.
The Pay is Great
I see it now — those of you balking at the idea of becoming a writer because you’ve swallowed the myth that writers don’t make all that much money. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Case in point: I know one woman who started writing a couple of years ago, built up a reliable, professional team, and as we speak is pulling her first million-dollar year. An extreme case of success but very possible…
The demand for writing skills just keeps growing; we are currently immersed in the biggest information age in history. And while cheap, low-grade writers abound, many of which are not even native English-speakers, the competition for higher-quality writers remains quite weak.
Writers who hone their skills and run a professional practice can build six-figure incomes online much faster than you think.
Opportunities to Climb the Ladder
Most people assume that heading off in search of adventure means giving up on the idea of any kind of worthwhile career. But choosing to take the writing path to freedom does not kill your future at all and does not obligate you to pen articles forever, either.
Opportunities abound for climbing the entrepreneurial ladder.
Your freelance writing business will expose you to a whole new world of possibility, opening up the doors to markets you never knew existed. Thus, wordsmithing becomes a great jumping-off point for sales copywriting, Web design, SEO, marketing consulting, and plenty of other related fields.
Or, just pay attention to how your higher-paying clients turn your words into profits and mimic their business models.
You’re the Boss
Maybe you’ve flirted with the idea of establishing a virtual work agreement and holding on to a current job. While the security seems tempting, I still insist a writing business takes the cake in comparison.
I value complete freedom over all else.
And when you freelance, you get to be the boss. You don’t have to answer to anyone else; you choose when and how often to work, and you can even turn down jobs you don’t want.
If a client acts like a jerk, just tell them to get lost (in not so many words, of course).
The Real Deal
Look, I’m not filling your head with some unachievable dream here — I leveraged writing skills for a dream-lifestyle in Asia for the past four years, collecting experiences most people cannot imagine.
I won’t lie to you — writing content for others, for which they enjoy recognition, wears me out. And you may eventually feel the same. But I still wouldn’t trade it for any job in the world.
And to deal with my burnout these days, I spend half my hours building my online assets, some of which now pay a handsome monthly profit. Within two months, my online real estate will provide 100% of my income, allowing me to continue traveling and working on other, more inspiring projects.
It wasn’t easy, but I wrote my way to freedom; you can do the same.
If you haven’t already stumbled upon some other way to fund your globe-trotting dream, take a real hard look at the freelance writing business. With a burning desire and some legitimate effort, enough money to live in the world’s most beautiful, cheap destinations lies just beyond your reach.
Treat it like a real business, and the world’s more expensive destinations won’t be far beyond your grasp…
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